Watching Trooping of the Colour - AIBU to feel proud or is it an anachronistic, expensive waste of money?

[Isdinnerreadyyet]

Been watching Trooping of the Colour. I just love the bands, the precision of the marching, the horses - all of it TBH. We do it better than anyone else IMO. Also good for tourism as many tourists come to the UK for the pageantry, palaces etc.

AIBU to feel proud?

Or is it an anachronistic, expensive waste of money?

While the comment about the Russian royal family was thoughtless and in poor taste I think it’s pushing it a bit to suggest that poster, never mind anyone else, is ‘salivating at the thought of murdering people’.

I don’t feel like a subject. If the monarchy were abolished tomorrow nothing would be materially different. But we would have lost something. Continuity. Michael D. Higgins turns my stomach.

I wouldn't kneel before anyone, let alone one of Jimmy Savile's besties.

Given that the late Queen regularly appeared on the Times Rich List - falling several places every year - I think this goes into the file marked bollocks.

Yes I agree, continuity is important. We know who the next two monarchs are going to be, if George lives to 100, which isn't unlikely in that family, then we know who will be the head of state for the next 90 years or so.
Who in the USA could have imagined, say 20 years ago, that someone like Trump would become President?

Royals at the top of the tree for the inequality that exists in Britain. No one should be born to be Head of State. No monarchy in history has ever achieved anything of merit. If you want to be proud of our history there are many great people that have achieved great things to our advancement in human endeavour. The royals nothing. Royals are remembered for the slave trade. Mr D Higgans is a well respected talented poet etc and very liked president.

I don’t associate the monarchy with the slave trade. Without it we could end up with someone like Farage as head of state. I’d rather stick with the devil I know.

I don't feel like a subject. I have a vote, and help choose Parliament. Parliament makes decisions.

If the RF have legislation to.protect them, Parliament are responsible for that legislation, and can be held to account by the electorate. If you are unhappy with a particular piece of legislation then lobby for it to be changed.

Lots of interest groups lobby Parliament. MPs have to justify their decisions to their electorate.

With it we could end up with someone like Farage as head of state. Only chance he wasn’t born royal. Or that Andrew wasn’t born before Charles. Selecting them by chance seems less likely to turn up the best person for the job in many ways. Though there’s something in the idea that those wanting power shouldn’t be given it, so maybe chance has that going for it.

I'd be interested to see examples of where the consent of the monarch has meant that legislation has had to be changed for their benefit. I'm obviously not talking about in very much earlier times, say in the 20th century onwards?

You need Norman Baker's And What Do You Do for this, @Buxusmortus, but the key point seems to be that we don't get to know much of it because potential legislation perceived to affect the RF's interests is put before them before it's even tabled in parliament

It therefore follows that what's submitted for the legislative process may already have been adjusted behind the scenes, even if it appears "new" to those doing the legislating

Really? What are your issues with Michael Higgins?

They can’t.

I love all the royal events, and live 30 mins from London Victoria so often go up and enjoy the atmosphere. Never made it to Trooping the colour though, it looks great. I do feel proud too.

I wasn't referring to you. I was talking about another thread on the subject.

Want group of people (a club, a school, a country) needs unifying events. It’s a pretty good one. Not in your face. Very British. Been happening for centuries. Enjoy.

The first word should have been Any, not Want. I saw autocorrect change it after I pressed post. So annoying.

It's called standards and discipline; how on earth can you describe that as tedious?

It's an anachronistic, self-indulgent, expensive, pompous waste of money. I get why it draws tourists, but I fail to be moved by it. I have a few ex-military friends who would disagree, but I don't care 😀

You should stage a very expensive parade to celebrate your victory

Oh, very easily.

I would rather we were known as the best country for our creativity and non-conformity rather than our standards and discipline.

I would rather we were known as the happiest country, or the most socially cohesive country, or the most environmentally sustainable country than the "best at military parades" country. Pageantry doesn't tick my boxes. Marching in the straightest lines or keeping our boots the shiniest doesn't do it for me. I find it all a bit dispiriting and limited.

Look, I'm not saying stop it or ban it or disrupt it. Just that it's not for me. It might be for you. Fine. Enjoy your military parade.

But please remember that it doesn't represent all of Britain. It's representative of a certain kind of traditionalist, low-level authoritarian, small-c conservative, backwards-looking, insular, Brexity Britain. That's not my England or my Britain.

Creativity relies on discipline too…how does anyone get good at music, art, acting without discipline? That’s a false binary.
I’m none of the things you say TotC represents, and I like the pageantry.
None of it is as black and white as you suggest.

So it's a political matter for you. Fine.

Well, yeah, the fact that all of this is shades of grey is why it's not representative of the whole of Britain. It doesn't mean Britain. Not being proud of this doesn't mean you don't like or care for Britain. They are two separate things.

And, yes, discipline can feed into creativity. But I haven't set discipline/creativity up as a binary. I've just said, of all the qualities a nation might choose to celebrate, it's not the one I'd choose.

Trooping The Colour promotes rigidity and discipline, not creativity and free expression. Nobody should smile. Fine, if that's what you like. It's not what I like

It's a parade that celebrates the longevity of the monarchy through the actions of the military. So, yes.

(Although, aesthetically, it is also stuffy and boring.)

Yes, of course, it's your choice. 😊